The five Southern Pacific Railroad crew members routinely dropped off cars at Mile Post 16 as part of a local daily run between Dayton and Baytown.

The five Southern Pacific Railroad crew members routinely dropped off cars at Mile Post 16 as part of a local daily run between Dayton and Baytown.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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But on Nov. 19, 1983, they never made it that far.

But on Nov. 19, 1983, they never made it that far.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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A collision with a line of 41 cars parked on the track claimed four of the men: E.C. Hallmark, 59, C.C. Hutchison, 35, and Joseph R. "Bobby" Sandras, 33, all of Houston; and Glenn A. Stewart, 32, of Pasadena.

A collision with a line of 41 cars parked on the track claimed four of the men: E.C. Hallmark, 59, C.C. Hutchison, 35, and Joseph R. "Bobby" Sandras, 33, all of Houston; and Glenn A. Stewart, 32, of Pasadena.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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James Muchow, of Hempstead, now 69, survived.

James Muchow, of Hempstead, now 69, survived.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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James Auberry, part of the crew that discovered the accident, recalled what happened in the pre-dawn darkness at Mile Post 17 near Sholander Road.

James Auberry, part of the crew that discovered the accident, recalled what happened in the pre-dawn darkness at Mile Post 17 near Sholander Road.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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The train known as 189/190 slammed into the cars, Auberry said, and four men died when the caboose, which was right behind the engine, and a tank car behind the caboose "accordioned" into the engine.

The train known as 189/190 slammed into the cars, Auberry said, and four men died when the caboose, which was right behind the engine, and a tank car behind the caboose "accordioned" into the engine.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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There was no way they could have seen the black tank cars stopped in darkness that was deepened by a dense tree canopy, Auberry said.

There was no way they could have seen the black tank cars stopped in darkness that was deepened by a dense tree canopy, Auberry said.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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When Auberry and his coworkers came upon the scene about 7:30 a.m. in another train, they didn't immediately notice anything wrong because a line of intact cars separated them from the accident site.

When Auberry and his coworkers came upon the scene about 7:30 a.m. in another train, they didn't immediately notice anything wrong because a line of intact cars separated them from the accident site.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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They moved about 35 of the 41 cars and then noticed the derailed caboose and engine.

They moved about 35 of the 41 cars and then noticed the derailed caboose and engine.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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Unable to reach the first crew on the radio, Auberry and his group went ahead with moving some cars to another track.

Unable to reach the first crew on the radio, Auberry and his group went ahead with moving some cars to another track.

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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They came upon two of the men right away but it would be hours before they found the last body, he said. Because of the remote location, Aubrey said his train crew delivered "jaws of life" equipment and some nurses to the scene by rail. less

They came upon two of the men right away but it would be hours before they found the last body, he said. Because of the remote location, Aubrey said his train crew delivered "jaws of life" equipment and some ... more

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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Auberry said he'd known all the men at least 10 years when the wreck happened. "A lot of times we didn't even know each other's names," he said. "It was initials and nicknames."

Auberry said he'd known all the men at least 10 years when the wreck happened. "A lot of times we didn't even know each other's names," he said. "It was initials and nicknames."

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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In the case of Stewart, Auberry said his family called him Bobby, but on the railroad, he was known as "Smoky."

In the case of Stewart, Auberry said his family called him Bobby, but on the railroad, he was known as "Smoky."

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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"There were a lot of brave men that built this country," Auberry said. "The railroad tied it all together."

"There were a lot of brave men that built this country," Auberry said. "The railroad tied it all together."

Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

The scene of the Nov. 19, 1983, train crash in Baytown.

Photo: E. Joseph Deering, Houston Chronicle

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Fatal Baytown train wreck remembered after 30 years

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Pulling into the Baytown freight yard on that dark morning 30 years ago, five men had no idea what awaited them.

The Southern Pacific Railroad crew members routinely dropped off cars at Mile Post 16 as part of a local daily run between Dayton and Baytown that proceeded on to Mont Belview.

But on Nov. 19, 1983, they never made it that far.

A collision with a line of 41 cars parked on the track claimed four of the men: E.C. Hallmark, 59, C.C. Hutchison, 35, and Joseph R. "Bobby" Sandras, 33, all of Houston; and Glenn A. Stewart, 32, of Pasadena.

James Auberry, part of the crew that discovered the accident, recalled what happened in the pre-dawn darkness at Mile Post 17 near Sholander Road.

"I had nightmares and 'daymares' and couldn't keep my mind off it for years," he said. "Sometimes this time of year, I get by it, but this year it's kind of played on my mind."

Discovering the accident scene was similar to walking into a military patrol ambushed in combat, he said.

"There's a little creek there," said Auberry, a Dayton resident who worked 38 years for the railroad. "The first thing that crew would have seen after crossing the creek, when their headlights came up level, was the shiny wheels of the first car (parked on the line)."

With no time to do anything else, the train known as 189/190 slammed into the cars, Auberry said.

Four men died when the caboose, which was right behind the engine, and a tank car behind the caboose "accordioned" into the engine, Auberry said.

There was no way they could have seen the black tank cars stopped in darkness that was deepened by a dense tree canopy, he said.

"It was like going into the Baytown Tunnel when no lights were on," he said. "There was no ambient light from anywhere to even make a silhouette."

When Auberry and his coworkers came upon the scene about 7:30 a.m. in another train, they didn't immediately notice anything wrong because a line of intact cars separated them from the accident site.

Unable to reach the first crew on the radio, Auberry and his group went ahead with moving some cars to another track. They moved about 35 of the 41 cars and then noticed the derailed caboose and engine.

"We ran down both sides of the track," he said.

They came upon two of the men right away but it would be hours before they found the last body, he said. Because of the remote location, Aubrey said his train crew delivered "jaws of life" equipment and some nurses to the scene by rail.